athletics
Austria’s team for the World Athletics Championships from July 15th to 24th in Eugene (USA) has shrunk to three participants. Heptathlete Ivona Dadic decided against starting in Oregon, her focus is now on the European Championships a month later in Munich. Because of several minor injuries, the build-up of form was repeatedly delayed, explained Dadic in an ORF TV interview.
“There’s still a little bit missing everywhere. And the all-around is merciless. A large number of points are lost. That immediately results in a less good competition,” said Dadic. “It really hurts not to be in Eugene now, I’ve been preparing for these big events all year round. It wasn’t an easy decision. It didn’t feel right at first, but it’s definitely for the best,” said Dadic.
“When I go to a World Championship, I want to be competitive at the same level as in recent years, but I’m not at the moment. I’m just missing specific units and security in the competitions.”
World Cup without Dadic
Heptathlete Ivona Dadic does not feel sufficiently competitive for the title fights in Eugene.
She now has six weeks to get in shape, explained the EM third from 2016. “I will now focus fully on the EM so that I can show my old self there.” Coach Philipp Unfried explained that before especially in the technical competitions, the necessary stability for a world championship is not yet given. “With regard to the European Championships, it certainly makes more sense that way, because with all the stress of traveling and the time change in the USA, a lot of training time would be lost for Munich.”
Dadic was sixth at the World Championships in London in 2017, and retired injured in Doha in 2019. With the 2019 World Cup third, Verena Mayr, and Sarah Lagger, two other Austrian heptathletes would have been eligible to compete in Eugene, but both are injured or unfit. The discus Olympic bronze medalist Lukas Weißhaidinger has a chance of a medal, as well as javelin thrower Victoria Hudson and 400m sprinter Susanne Walli.
